ABS-Solutely

So you want to narrow your waist, flatten your abs and become the envy of all your friends, right? Of course you do – who doesn’t?

Well, here is yet another reason to get slim and trim: recent studies suggest that an excess of fat deposits around the abdominal region significantly contributes to the risk of heart disease, diabetes and other life-threatening conditions.

Whether your motivation for attaining great abs is rooted in the health benefits or in looking phenomenal then this is one blog you simply must read all the way through.

Why is it that so many people wish they had great abs, but never quite get there?

Contrary to popular belief, doing millions of crunches will not sculpt your abs. The key to creating an enviable midsection lies in your ability to effectively challenge your abdominal muscles and your nutrition. The “crunch” movement only targets your “upper” abdominal muscles, the ones found between your rib cage and belly button. Imagine you are doing a crunch – better yet, get down and do one – notice where you feel the burn. Those are your upper abs. To effectively develop your abs, focus on strengthening your upper, lower and side abdominal muscles. In order to achieve an overall look of symmetry your fitness program should target all three parts of your midsection. A surefire way to kick up the intensity, and thus the results, of your workout is to add resistance training. By working your body against resistance you open up the possibility for greater muscle stimulation and that equals greater results.

Oh yeah, just one more thing…in order to show off your breathtaking abs they need to come out of hiding. This means burning off the layer of fat. (No matter how big or small it may be.)

The following two pronged approach works every time:

First, consistent exercise is needed to burn off stored energy. I recommend interval training over steady state cardio. What is interval training? A short definition is  – short, high-intensity periods of exercise alternated with periods of low-intensity exercise or rest. An example for a beginner might be 30 seconds of a quick paced mountain climber or high knees followed by 30 seconds of walkouts or marching.  Why train with intervals?  Interval training has been shown to be more effective at fighting fat and improving your health than just hopping on the treadmill for the normal 30 minutes. While there can be a place for this kind of training, intervals have the advantage of being a more effective workout in a shorter period of time, with better results. Why? Because your body continues to work after the workout is over – steady state cardio does not do this.

Second (and just as, if not more important), to uncover your abdominal muscles we have to discuss….your eating habits. I’m sorry to say it, but the food that you put in your mouth has a direct effect on the size and shape of your waist. As the saying goes “Abs are made in the kitchen”…

Use these three pointers to slash fat:

• Eat small meals frequently throughout the day and avoid overeating.

• Processed foods should be kept to a minimum or avoided completely.

• Load up on vegetables and lean meat.

Contrary to popular belief we all have abs, it’s just a matter of doing what it takes to see them.

To your best health,

Coach Nancy